24 - Season Two

Rating:
Summary: Another Long Day for Jack
Review: Jack Bauer returns!! 24, the best show I've ever seen on TV, roared back for its second season. Once again, lots of twists and turns that you don't see coming. Non-stop action all the way.

Kiefer Sutherland is easily the best actor on TV. His portrayal of Jack Bauer in this season is expanded a little more after what he goes through in the first season. Jack is more careful, and doesn't trust as easily. Tony is back, as is David Palmer, who has quite a tough day himself.

The only drawback for me in the season is Kim Bauer. Don't get me wrong, she's certainly easy on the eyes, but the character had no real purpose in this season. All of her misadventures really didn't add anything to the season, except stress for Jack. It's only a mild complaint though, as no show I've ever watched comes close to touching 24 for action and suspense.

24 is an addicitive thrill ride. I'll be starting to watch season 3 shortly, and can't wait. This will always be my favorite show, and it is well worth getting a hold of all three seasons to enjoy over and over again.

Rating:
Summary: I have a high threshold for excitement
Review: I have a high threshold for excitement. Most movies are slow moving, boring and predictable. Major league football puts me to sleep. Hockey only keeps me awake because of the noise. In short, it takes a lot to get my heart rate above 56. 24 can put me into fibbrillation. I dream about it after watching more than one episode.

My daughter comes down to see me literally on the edge of my seat during an episode. She laughed "Dad, now I know what they mean by edge of the seat thrills, every time I see you your're about to fall off the end of the chair."

The two spotlight reviews give a lot away. I really don't like to drop spoilers in a review so I will stay arms length from the plot. In 24 just about anything you say about classifies as a spoiler since so much happens and the plot is an intricate chain of events with just about everything linked. Just knowing who is recruited to help Jack can totally ruin the end of Season 1 for someone who hasn't seen it.

The public knowledge about this season is that Jack Bauer is no longer with CTU. George Mason is in charge. Jack is off the payroll recovering from the events of last few minutes of season 1. This is a year later. ( real time again) Tony Almeida ( great character and terrific work by Carlos Bernard) is back with a new CTU crew.

Word gets out, there is some sort of nuclear device in Los Angeles planted by a terrorist group called Second Wave. David Palmer is President. ( hell, I would vote for David Palmer! )

There is a link with a domestic terror group that flags Jack Bauer. He was undercover with this group and is the only guy with a half chance of infiltrating them again in order to track down the nuke.

Jack also has to ally with an old enemy - name witheld to prevent a spoiler. The plot starts in overdrive and picks up speed from there.

The plotting is intricate, all events relate to all others. The race is on to find the nuke and save LA. There are several more subplots with of course Kim, Jacks daughter in trouble again. I guess the family aspect helps add tension to Jacks mission, but that subplot is lame compared to whats happening at higher levels of the government with the conspiracy leading all the way to the uppermost echelons of government.

Like Season 1 the action is non-stop. There is at least one major shocker in each episode and each one ends in an irresistable cliffhanger that will have you cueing up the next one right away not even wanting to take a minute to review the "Previously on 24" spot. You want it NOW!

In any other show or movie the plot would climax after they find the bomb, or course trhe guys would cut the green wire and that would the that. Nothing so pedestrian would ever make a 24 Episode.

In 24 you can ever count on them finding and disarming the bomb. Maybe they do, then again maybe not - I won't say here. But whatever does happen with the bomb I will say that the plot INTENSIFIES from there!

Like with Season 1, I had an impossible time turning off the DVD player until the disk was finished.

I didn't expect S2 to have the thrills and excitement of Season 1 since I knew a little more of what to expect from the show but if anything I was even more out of breath after these episodes.

One thing though, 24 will spoil you for most other TV shows and movies. Get used to the real time format and everything else seems lame. The only other TV show with the edge of 24 is maybe the new Battlestar Galactica, but that isn't the same serial format and no where near as addicting as 24.

24 is addicting and beware. Once you start you won't want to put them away until you're done.

The producers, directors and writers do a marvelous job of hooking you into the plot and caring about the characters and even feeling their pain.

Watch this show. It is the best of the best. This is as good as TV gets folks.

I come up with a great idea for a 24 party. Get a bunch of hardcores together and watch it real time. Start at 8am and play the disks realtime with the clock. Only break to bathroom and eat during the commercial gaps. Cue them up and restart on time.

Rating:
Summary: Best Season
Review: Jack Bauer is back on the scene as information regarding a nuclear bomb in LA is discovered. I watched this whole season in three days because at the end of each episode there is a major cliffhanger. And not only is there Jack and CTU to keep up with in this season, there are also other fascinating characters including the President of the US and his staff, a wealthy suburban family getting ready for a marriage and an old villian brought back - all of which are tied into the nuclear threat somehow.

Rating:
Summary: Decent Season, Technical Problems.
Review: The second season of 24 is entertaining and engaging, and definitely whatever the film equivalent of a page-turner is, but there are some serious problems with the DVD. Some of the video transfers have lint-in-the-projector dark blips on the edges which are distracting and the audio channel is universally plagued by "noise", little clicks and bleeps heard in the background. This DVD set is worth buying, but don't expect perfection.

Rating:
Summary: 24 creates sleep deprevation
Review: Addictive, enticing, spellbinding, all of these apply when Jack Bauer gets into and out of the situations this series creates. As each episode ends, I am anxiously awaiting the next. Be forewarned, you will become a victim of sleep deprivation.


Rating:
Summary: THE BEST SHOW ON TV !
Review: I can't imagine someone watching 24 and not loving every second. after getting hooked on 24 in season one the only down side was how could it get better than this,my answer came with the second season. every hour had me nailed to my couch, the scene in the mall of tony being attacked was riveting not to mention the heart stopping scene of Jack saying goodbye to Kim while flying the plane with the bomb, I was in tears the whole time wishing Jack was my dad. the level of acting in this series is exceptional and the actors and others that make this show come alive should in my humble opinion be showered with awards.

Rating:
Summary: I want to be like Jack!
Review: WOW! Talk about excitement and a rush! I just finished the season on DVD and I am so impressed and a little jealous that I didnt come up with that writing. MAn, that was so addictive and so involving! You remember the times you wanted to be Indiana Jones after seeing that movie? I want to be like Jack Bauer. MAybe not to be in all his situations (the torturing) hehe

I was so moved by Jacks decision to fly the plane with the nuke, and by Mason's decision. I never thought I would like Mason after the first moments of season one, but his action to fly the plane, talk about heroism. I mean he was bailing (I think a lot of us would do that, right?) but he came through. Great characters. ANd Palmer. I would be by his side anytime, 24/7.

Highly,highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Better than Season One, 24 rules!
Review: From the beginning of the first episode of Season One, I admit, I was instantly hooked, 24 is the best TV action sitcom I've ever seen, the way the newer character's develop and inject some serious suspense is superb. Jack (Kiefer Sutherland) is on top form, and the way he handles the bad guys, in some scenes, gives it a real edge-of-your-seat feel. Great stuff!

Highly recommend.

Rating:
Summary: Why Is This The Greatest Show Ever
Review: Season 2 of 24 oh where do I start... It is the best show I have ever seen in my 24 years. I love it. The ONLY thing I hate about it is that I find myself staying up too late to keep watching it, I dont pay any attention to my husband because when I finish one disc from the box set I HAVE to put another one in to see what happens next and I am really tired for work in the morning. VERY ADDICTIVE! Be Careful. Ha Ha
I do agree with another review though and do say that it was starting to get a little boring, cause you are constintly waiting for the big finale at the end (where you find out who the bad guy is) Just trust me on this one. This is a great show if you haven't watched any of them yet, please take my word for it and buy it, you will not be disappointed. Cant wait for Season 3 coming out December 7th. Hope I get it for Christmas. Its the #1 thing on my list.

Rating:
Summary: Save for Kim's Storyline It's a Winner
Review: I'll save you a plot summary, obviously you can get that from the other 200 reviews written here. I will simply state my unworthy opinion. Let me just say that 24 made me believe in television again. After the X-files went down the drain and even Voyager got stupid on me and then with the horrible disgrace that is Enterprise entering the picture I swore I would never be faithful to an American TV series again. The suspense and unbelievable endings in this series are above the standards of most films and light years ahead of all current television. Season One, from start to finish never disappointed me, save for Teri Bauer. I'm sorry about it but she was just damned annoying. Kim seems to have followed in her mother's footsteps in this Season. She herself is not annoying but the writers just seem to put her in the most unbelievable and absurd situations in the entire series. I have seen all three seasons and I have to say that Season two is the low point. But it is still way better than anything else that is on television.
Jack's rash actions in the first episode just seem to be there to bring back the old flame of his malicious, unrelenting character. What he does has little affect on the people he was trying to impress and is forgotten completely. The writers are at their very best in the President Palmer storyline. Damn, I wish he was our president. Anyhow, the way Palmer handles the situation before and especially after the Season's major mid-season climax provides a perfect foil for the blunders of the current administration as sort of dramatic "what-should-have-been-done-in-the-first-place-you-jug-earred-baboon" scenario. Also, after the early gaining of the audience's trust in unbelievable climaxes, the characters REALLY get a great chance to develop. I wouldn't mind seeing a version which edited out Kim save for her scenes with Jack. I don't think she is a bad actress, she just is in a lot of bad scenes and as an actress, she does a good job of putting on a good face in those idiotic situations. But honestly, the guy with the bomb shelter, the cougar scare, the Convenience store fiasco was all very horrible. It will make you wince and instinctively reach for the remote to fast forward to non-Kim parts. I felt the same during the amnesia episode with Teri Bauer in the first season. That dumb, blank look on her face made me want to scream. The third season, save for Chloe doesn't have any characters that I wanted to immediately see killed for reasons other than their being the villian. But even Chloe had redeeming qualities.
In short
Kiefer Sutherland and Dennis Haybert Perfect!
Carlos Bernard and Reiko Aylesworth Womderful!
Sarah Clarke and Penny Marshal I love to hate them!
Elisha Cuthbert A decent actress who finds her way into bad plots
Xander Berkley, a so-so actor who found his way into an awesome plot this season which totally redeems him for his Season One role
Nuclear Bomb Threat-Suspenseful and worthy of attention, it won't end the way you think it will
The Decision to invade or to not invade three Middle Eastern countries-handled with a remarkable integrity that will have you cheering for Palmer and wishing our President was as virtuous.
The Mason family subplot, the suspicion of the Arab-American character Reza was a bit trite and annoying and Marie was unconvincing and a bit annoying.
Nina and Sherry's roles-These two are so pitch perfect I don't mind seeing them even if there is no reason for them to be on screen. I never thought they had it in them to be who they are but they strike the right chord everytime.
Summary-It has everything that you loved about the first season and will like about the third season but the Kim subplot is REALLY, REALLY BAD. Just fastforward just about every seen when she is not sharing the screen with Jack and you will have no regrets.
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